Author Topic: Stuck in listen mode - Listen Mode bug with workaround  (Read 53294 times)

joelucid

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Stuck in listen mode - Listen Mode bug with workaround
« on: December 28, 2016, 05:46:09 AM »
I've initially often had problems with my listen mode low power motes where some nodes would not react to wakeup bursts after some time. This wasn't solvable by reboot - you actually had to reset the radio for things to work again. Since I had found a mode of operation where this problem never occurred I kind of forgot about it.

Recently though I've changed how most of my nodes operate from a listen mode only to listen mode plus regular updates approach. This triggered the behavior again and today I finally figured out what's going on:

After some unfortunate rhythm of starting and stopping listen mode the radio gets into a state where in listen mode it doesn't keep the radio in RX once a packet is detected. Rather it always switches RX off once the rx period is over, even if RSSI has been detected.

The workaround is to listen to the RSSI interrupt during sleep and when it's detected immediately abort listen mode while staying in RX, thus manually preventing listen mode from pulling the rug from the receiver.

Joe

TomWS

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Re: Stuck in listen mode - Listen Mode bug with workaround
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2016, 12:44:49 PM »
GOOD WORK!  This has annoyed me for a long time but I didn't have the wherewithal (or priority) to look into it.  Thanks for solving!

Tom

joelucid

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Re: Stuck in listen mode - Listen Mode bug with workaround
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2016, 04:03:36 PM »
Quote
GOOD WORK!  This has annoyed me for a long time but I didn't have the wherewithal (or priority) to look into it.  Thanks for solving!

Oh man - apparently not good enough: as I rolled the change out to all my nodes some of them started to get stuck in listen mode even earlier than before. Turns out the RFM69 also doesn't like it if listen mode is aborted too early during the listen mode RX period. This was a problem primarily with nodes that had fuses set for very quick wakeup.

So far it seems a
Code: [Select]
delayMicroseconds( 50 )

before

Code: [Select]
		SX1231Driver::writeReg( SX1231_REG_OPMODE, SX1231_OPMODE_SEQUENCER_ON | SX1231_OPMODE_LISTENABORT | SX1231_OPMODE_RECEIVER );
SX1231Driver::writeReg( SX1231_REG_OPMODE, SX1231_OPMODE_SEQUENCER_ON | SX1231_OPMODE_RECEIVER );

does the trick. Even more fragile than a si7021 at >80% humidity  :D

Joe

joelucid

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Re: Stuck in listen mode - Listen Mode bug with workaround
« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2016, 05:43:41 AM »
I'm sure I'll regret this - but things seem to run smoothly now and it's good to claim victory at times. So here is the definite list of listen mode bugs and how to work around them:

1.) No end of RX period after noise RSSI detection

In many cases if RSSI is detected but no valid packet follows listen mode does not time out (no matter what the end cycle options). Instead of just waiting for SX1231_IRQFLAGS2_PAYLOADREADY you have to use SX1231_DIOMAPPING1_DIO0_11 and wake on RSSI detected instead. Then wait for a packet until it is received or timeout. Shut down listen mode in both cases and restart. Use false RSSI detections to dynamically tune the RSSI threshold.

Note that you'll also receive IRQs for SX1231_IRQFLAGS1_PLLLOCK before RSSI with this mapping. This is useful: you can use these irqs as timer for regular updates without powering the WDT.

2.) Don't shut down listen mode immediately after SX1231_IRQFLAGS1_PLLLOCK hits

Since you regularly get PLLLOCK its tempting to use that as timer source e.g. for regular updates. That's fine if it's only used for that purpose (RSSIThresh = 0). However if you have a RSSIThresh that allows packet reception and decide to end listen mode due to PLLLOCK irq you must wait for some microseconds so you don't disable listen mode during beginning the RX period. I'm using 300us currently.

3.) End listen mode during reception

This is the original issue described in this post. After RSSI detected allow an extra 50-100uS and then end listen mode to work around the case that listen mode ends the RX cycle even though RSSI was detected. Don't do it immediately when RSSI hits since that will sometimes completely kill listen mode (beyond the workaround of 3.) until radio reset.

Overall a big part of the story seems to be not to end listen mode early in the RX phase. Easy to do if your wakeup timer is PLLLOCK. If you use the WDT you'll have to at least record PLLLOCK times and avoid ending listen mode immediately afterwards.

Keeping fingers crossed that we'll actually end 2016 with a stable way to deal with listen mode.

Joe
« Last Edit: December 30, 2016, 06:13:37 AM by joelucid »

joelucid

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Re: Stuck in listen mode - Listen Mode bug with workaround
« Reply #4 on: December 30, 2016, 06:36:52 AM »
Quote
That's fine if it's only used for that purpose (RSSIThresh = 0)

BTW, it you use plllock only you can get by with a RX period of 128 uS. I use that for delays or when operating without the capability to wake up via listen mode as wakeup timer. If you wake up once per minute the 128uS per 60s at ~20mA cost you around 43nA on top of the sleep current of 1.2uA. Even with a clock crystal attached you won't get much lower than that. Of course an AB18X5 will put these numbers to shame.

Joe

ChemE

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Re: Stuck in listen mode - Listen Mode bug with workaround
« Reply #5 on: December 30, 2016, 08:36:32 AM »
Of course an AB18X5 will put these numbers to shame.

Joe

Sure wish Atmel would replace their WDT logic with whatever magic is happening in the AB18X5.  4,000nA vs. 18nA is not just a landslide, it is a solar-system-slide.

WhiteHare

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Re: Stuck in listen mode - Listen Mode bug with workaround
« Reply #6 on: December 30, 2016, 08:56:12 AM »
I'm sure I'll regret this - but things seem to run smoothly now and it's good to claim victory at times. So here is the definite list of listen mode bugs and how to work around them:

1.) No end of RX period after noise RSSI detection

In many cases if RSSI is detected but no valid packet follows listen mode does not time out (no matter what the end cycle options). Instead of just waiting for SX1231_IRQFLAGS2_PAYLOADREADY you have to use SX1231_DIOMAPPING1_DIO0_11 and wake on RSSI detected instead. Then wait for a packet until it is received or timeout. Shut down listen mode in both cases and restart. Use false RSSI detections to dynamically tune the RSSI threshold.

Note that you'll also receive IRQs for SX1231_IRQFLAGS1_PLLLOCK before RSSI with this mapping. This is useful: you can use these irqs as timer for regular updates without powering the WDT.

2.) Don't shut down listen mode immediately after SX1231_IRQFLAGS1_PLLLOCK hits

Since you regularly get PLLLOCK its tempting to use that as timer source e.g. for regular updates. That's fine if it's only used for that purpose (RSSIThresh = 0). However if you have a RSSIThresh that allows packet reception and decide to end listen mode due to PLLLOCK irq you must wait for some microseconds so you don't disable listen mode during beginning the RX period. I'm using 300us currently.

3.) End listen mode during reception

This is the original issue described in this post. After RSSI detected allow an extra 50-100uS and then end listen mode to work around the case that listen mode ends the RX cycle even though RSSI was detected. Don't do it immediately when RSSI hits since that will sometimes completely kill listen mode (beyond the workaround of 3.) until radio reset.

Overall a big part of the story seems to be not to end listen mode early in the RX phase. Easy to do if your wakeup timer is PLLLOCK. If you use the WDT you'll have to at least record PLLLOCK times and avoid ending listen mode immediately afterwards.

Keeping fingers crossed that we'll actually end 2016 with a stable way to deal with listen mode.

Joe

This is gold!  Somebody with powers should sticky this.

WhiteHare

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Re: Stuck in listen mode - Listen Mode bug with workaround
« Reply #7 on: December 30, 2016, 09:24:30 AM »
Perhaps the following is an alternate workaround?  Just use very short listen Rx window (and a maximum Rx threshhold so that RSSI never triggers) and let the radio go back to sleep (which equals standby mode).  Then, if you want to turn off listen mode after having just been woken up by it, maybe use the radio's transition to sleep/standby as the flag to safely exit listen mode?  Sorry if my memory of the details has hazed over, but I thought I'd put that notion out there.

For a more radical approach, maybe you could try turning off the sequencer?  Then you should be in direct control and can order the radio into any state you want.  Afterward you could turn the sequencer on again.  Presumably the sequencer is what's handling listen mode, so perhaps its a conflict of some sort with the sequencer that hangs things.  Meh, it's an idea.  Not sure if it would work, but maybe it's worth a shot.
« Last Edit: December 30, 2016, 09:47:02 AM by WhiteHare »

WhiteHare

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Re: Stuck in listen mode - Listen Mode bug with workaround
« Reply #8 on: December 30, 2016, 09:58:46 AM »
Sure wish Atmel would replace their WDT logic with whatever magic is happening in the AB18X5.  4,000nA vs. 18nA is not just a landslide, it is a solar-system-slide.

Would you be interested in a breakout board for the AB18X5?  I've lately had success in hand soldering the BQ25504, which is unrelated except I believe it's of similar size and has a similar land pattern.  Last time I checked there were no breakout boards for the AB18X5, but I've since learned how to do PCB's and could make a breakout sooner rather than later for the AB18X5 if others had interest too.  That might help expand the base of users so that there could be a decent library for it.
« Last Edit: December 30, 2016, 10:07:20 AM by WhiteHare »

ChemE

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Re: Stuck in listen mode - Listen Mode bug with workaround
« Reply #9 on: December 30, 2016, 11:01:16 AM »
Would you be interested in a breakout board for the AB18X5?  I've lately had success in hand soldering the BQ25504, which is unrelated except I believe it's of similar size and has a similar land pattern.  Last time I checked there were no breakout boards for the AB18X5, but I've since learned how to do PCB's and could make a breakout sooner rather than later for the AB18X5 if others had interest too.  That might help expand the base of users so that there could be a decent library for it.

I just recently taught myself Eagle and one of the things I planned on fooling with was an AB18X5.  Yeah, if you or someone here could sell me a teeny board with an AB18X5 I would buy a few for sure.  I like to play with chips on a breadboard before I consider building them into larger projects.

EDIT: I believe the 1815 would be superior to the 1805 since it uses SPI instead of I2C.  Conversations can be faster and shorter via SPI I believe.  If we are going to do this, might as well shave every clock cycle we can!

EDIT2: Yeah SPI maxes as 2MHz while I2C is limited to 400kHz.  SPI uses more power to read and write but since both chips have to be awake to have the conversation this power increase is more than made up for by getting back to sleep faster.  Surely the 1815 is better suited to our needs than is the 1805.
« Last Edit: December 30, 2016, 11:20:15 AM by ChemE »

TomWS

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Re: Stuck in listen mode - Listen Mode bug with workaround
« Reply #10 on: December 30, 2016, 11:08:16 AM »
I recommend using a stainless steel stencil for the AB18X5 and similar footprints.  The polyimide stencils don't have crisp enough edge walls for these small pads.  It also might help to use a T5 paste (depending on what else you have on the board).

Osh Stencils is now selling SS stencils for an affordable price.

Tom

ChemE

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Re: Stuck in listen mode - Listen Mode bug with workaround
« Reply #11 on: December 30, 2016, 11:30:09 AM »
AB1815 Manual In past searches I've always found a cut down datasheet on Mouser which does not get into any useful specifics of registers and commands.  This seems to have all the details needed to write a library.
« Last Edit: December 30, 2016, 01:54:26 PM by ChemE »

WhiteHare

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Re: Stuck in listen mode - Listen Mode bug with workaround
« Reply #12 on: December 30, 2016, 12:52:34 PM »
I could do one or the other of the "typical application circuits" on page 4 of the manual.    Is there any point to having a push button on it?  The upper example circuit has it, but not the lower one. 

As to the platform, I think it would make sense to have it be a Moteino, as that is something we all share.  I'd do it open source, so you could just send the files to OSH PARK or your favorite fab.  In addition, if Felix wants to make a buck off it by making and selling it, I'd have no objection.  With a chip this tiny, I think most people would rather have somebody else do the soldering anyway.  I know I would.   ;D

Unless someone recommends otherwise, I'd probably use the "Recommended tuning fork crystal is ABS07-120-32.768kHz-T."  Is that what others here are using?

The supercap is an interesting option, given how little current this thing uses.  Which one should it be?  Or should I just make it run off the Moteino voltage source and call it a day?


ChemE

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Re: Stuck in listen mode - Listen Mode bug with workaround
« Reply #13 on: December 30, 2016, 02:11:27 PM »
How about the platform being a Moteino with no LDO and with a landing pad for a si7021?  And maybe change out the 69W for a CW to save some space/weight?

WhiteHare

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Re: Stuck in listen mode - Listen Mode bug with workaround
« Reply #14 on: December 30, 2016, 03:30:35 PM »
Just a moment, Gonzales.  I meant this to be merely a shield for the Moteino to try out this exotic RTC, not as a replacement for the Moteino.  So, whether your Moteino has an LDO or not is really up to whether you remove it or not.  Likewise with your RFM69 choice.

The alternative, which I personally favor, is just a small breakout board that one can plug into a breadboard.  Then you can wire into it however you want with whatever platform you want.  It's really just a way to easily test drive the RTC chip.  ie. it's a learning tool.   So, I think that's what I'll make, as that way the PCB will cost less because it would be smaller than a Moteino shield, as well as taking much less time to design.

It will give some feel for whether interfacing with this RTC is a hassle or easy to do.  I'd much rather have a library for it before embarking on this.  There are some homemade libraries for the AB18x5 on github, but without a way to try them, it's hard to know if they're any good.
« Last Edit: December 30, 2016, 03:38:03 PM by WhiteHare »